Looks like the "FREE-96" is KAPUT!

[Big Kahuna]

I'm sure you guys all know I had a little problem with the Flambe at the end of the race season...did a big burnout for a time trial after winning the 1st event and as I rolled to the line she was breaking up and ticking like a bad exhaust leak. What a shame, Flambe was on fire (literally not figuratively) and had won 4 of the previous 6 ECIRS races. Bummed. Had to borrow a car to race in the finals.

Also, at Nats in August on the road course coming out of some turns hard there was some smoke from the passenger tailpipe as well. I guess letting Mike and Gary make fun run after fun run in the Flambe around the road course wasn't the best idea. We figured some oil got up in the top around the turns and was getting blown out. Oil still looked great, oil pressure good, etc. But hey, that's what the Flambe was designed for, to take a good beating, provide entertainment to both passengers and onlookers, and keep going like the Energizer Bunny.

So you know...maybe it was time. That 396, err FREE-96 was built back in 2000-2001 and has about 40,000 miles and road course runs and autocrossing and about 500 drag strip passes. Not a bad run, so if it was time...it was time...

Originally Posted by Blue Wail

Congrats to Bill DeBlasio for winning the 1st race and Keef Burns for winning the 2nd race!
Bill was running 13.0s with a spun rod bearing and Keef was running 12.0s with a blown trans. Way to hold on to make the final rounds dramatic!

Thanks to the sponsors Big Kahuna Racing and Butler Family Racing!
Thanks to Patsy for cooking and watching the little guys!

SS

Originally Posted by Big Kahuna

Thanks Nabby. Congrats Keefer!

Flambe has been slowing down (off by about .4-.5 all summer) so I knew something was up. I really hope it's not spun but we all know better...

Going to be interesting next week...do I borrow a B-Body? Get the 502 out there? Pray for a month of rain?

Well, there were many who wanted to rule the FREE-96 out. Spun bearings, broken pistons skirts, broken wrist pins, and many other things were mentioned as what that tick tick ticking was. It sounded almost like a bad header leak but with the car running rough (still ran 13.6 at 100). But the odd thing was that it stopped making the noise after it sat so Paul and I concurred (lol) that it hopefully wasn't major damage in the bottom end. Which would be nice, since the bottom end is all real nice Callies rotating swag.

Anyway, the prognosis from Dr. Paul at Area 51 has been done and it looks like I may have dodged a bullet.

I got this long and emotional email a few hours ago from PBP:

Ok hot rod.

Order up the following and have shipped to my house.
(2) FEL/1284 Intake set, want spare.
(1) FEL/VS50443R Valve Cover Gasket set
(1) CCA/875-16 Lifter Set
(1) CCA/1605-16 Pro Mag. 1.6 Ratio &/16 stud rocker arm set.

Me

LOL. I thought it was very touching. He called me Hot Rod.

So basically he pulled off the valve covers, said the cam looks ok, he found a real bad trashed rocker and some worn smashed down lifters from what he could see. No need to pull the heads. PBP: "Bad news for Bill, no heads and cam package" so I guess my mini-dream of 'having' to do heads/cam ain't happening. At least not yet.

Hopefully this explains why I was running slower this year. I had those old old Type R lifters that everyone bitched about and had problems with, yet we got 12 years out of them, not too bad. I also had the old style 'race' pro mag rockers and this 'new' style should be so much better. So I guess we'll see...hoping nothing else is fooked, Paul doesn't think so and that's good enough for me!

BTW I'm sure I said it all wrong and I'm gonna get called a pop tart but that's my story and I'm sticking to it!

[bdbowti]

Nice! Good to hear the Flambe will love on with the Free 96

[Erik]

I vaguely recall some good looking, smart fellow saying it could be the lifters at the track...Good deal!

[1FAST94]

So, the bad news is actually good news that is bad news Just keep winning BK and bring the race back to Rochester this year so's we can race.

[Hilpala SS]

PPFFFFTTTTT....I wipe my @ss with rockers and lifters. Heads and cam man....

[JOHNER]

Safe to say your bottom end can take a beating

[Big Kahuna]

Originally Posted by Hilpala SS

PPFFFFTTTTT....I wipe my @ss with rockers and lifters. Heads and cam man....

Any time you want to line them up...just say the word, Princess! As far as heads/cam...Uncle Pauly won't let me! lol

Here is the actual quote: "Rob, Bill is just itching to do heads/cam package but I'm keeping him in check. Why mess with a combo you can drive anywhere, run a 12 on motor, and cruise home with the a/c on and get 20 mpg?"

Originally Posted by JOHNER

Safe to say your bottom end can take a beating

Oh yeah, it's one tough bottom! Wait...wut?

[wytltng]

What about your push rods??

[Dan Fahey]

Bill:
Since you have all that apart.
Install the Cam of your Dreams.

D

[Moby Dick]

Originally Posted by Dan Fahey

Bill:
Since you have all that apart.
Install the Cam of your Dreams.

D

Stop thinking of Bill's bumpstick...